Bruce Arians calls out Arizona Cardinals players

The head coach of the Arizona Cardinals wasn’t happy with the opening night performance of some players and he let it be known

If you don’t want a truthful answer then don’t ask Arizona Cardinals’ head coach Bruce Arians a question. The man is brutally honest, even to the point of actually naming the players he’s disappointed with by name. Such was the case when he was asked about the opening day loss.

One player thrown under the bus by his head coach was Justin Bethel. The cornerback, who actually saw no snaps on defense, was criticized for missed tackles on special teams. While Bethel needs work at the corner position, he’s always been a special teams demon.

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He’s apparently trying to play through a foot injury that has lingered the whole offseason. Still, he’s receiving no mercy from Arians. The coach indicated that if his play doesn’t improve he’ll soon be riding the bench.

Even star players aren’t exempt from Arians’ wrath. Chandler Jones was penalized for a celebration dance after a big fumble recovery. It was made clear after the game that if it happens again the guilty party won’t be around for long.

2015 first-round pick D.J.Humphries got a taste of the Arians way last season. He was lambasted by the coach for his apparent lack of preparation and maturity. What it showed was that being a top draft pick gives a player no shield from criticism.

This year’s first-round pick, Robert Nkemdiche, learned that same lesson the other day. He was called out by Arians for being a non-factor in the game, except for a stupid offsides infraction.

The tact that Arians takes when discussing his players is not the norm in the NFL. Most coaches protect their players, sometimes pathetically blaming themselves for obvious player mistakes.

The unflinching honesty of Arians is refreshing. Fans never have to wonder what their head coach is thinking about a certain player. In Bruce we trust. Those aren’t just empty words to Cards’ fans.